First, I want to say thank you, so much, to everyone who contributed toward my trip to volunteer in Israel. I really appreciate it.

Secondly, if anyone's interested, MTV was filming the trip, and it's going to be shown as part of a show about college kids who volunteer during spring break. I'm not sure whether or not I'll be shown. It's called "The Amazing Break," and it's going to be on MTV on Sunday at 8 AM.

Please to send the urgent health~ma towards Fort Lauderdale. MIL went in for a routine hernia operation on Thursday and we thought everything was fine. It ended up that she had 3 hernias and it was more complex. She is in ICU on a ventilator and has some bad clotting issue of some kind. They are doing a procedure in about an hour having to do with straining the blood. Her oxygen levels are bad and things are very scary. Prayers would be a good thing.

health ~ma requested for my dear friend out in Baltimore. She's five months pregnant (v. high risk pregnancy) and has just started coughing up bloody mucus. She's going to the ER right now.

Thanks for the excellent ~ma. The ICU nurse just told me that MIL is doing the oxygen thing right again and they are kicking her to a regular room.

Releasing the health~ma to them that need it more.

I release the ~ma back to the wilds. Unfortunately this time is was not strong enough. I didn't get the job at UCI.

I've been offline mostly for the last couple of days, but the next time you see me, I'll be posting from my new house! Here's hoping I survive the move.

I just got accepted to Cardiff University's philosophy masters program!

I'm still waiting to hear from York before I make a decision, but it looks like I will be staying in the UK for the next year with this really awesome news.

Ten minutes after getting to work, unlocking my computer, and laying out my work for the day (the dreaded data entry project from Hell) I got told to come talk to my boss in a conference room.

I'm laid off, effective immediately NOT for cause, but because there's a general layoff for the department, and my number came up.

Through the shock, a few facts that help a little: I'll be getting a generous severance package, COBRA (of course), and an outplacement firm services paid for three months. And I'm also able to collect unemployment, before the severance pay ends if I want (though I think I'll hold off on it).

At least I don't have to do the stupid data entry, is my immediate reaction. I'm working on a more complex reaction, but it may be a while before it reallly sinks in.

Um, okay, guys. I think I must have stolen all the ~ma (sorry, Theo, that sucks) because when I got home I found a letter waiting for me offering me a place at York University also!

Cardiff and York were the two places I had applied, and now I have to choose between them. Erk! But still, this is the best day. I release all the ~ma back into the Buffista wilds, in hopes that it does for ya'll what it did for me.

It was a massacree! (tm Arlo Guthrie) Theo and I worked at the same place, and we got our pink slips in tandem. Unemployment for everybody!

Hard cider and Chinese have been acquired; free lunch from coworkers was committed; and if only I had not sprained my right index finger carrying my things home, I would be a much more nimble typist.

In no way should the above be meant as an indictment on SA'a excellent getting-in-to-school skills. Karma is not a zero-sum game.